The Great Arizona Puppet Theater in, well, Arizona, has been teaching children about the benefits of water saving through the magic and artistry of puppetry.

For more than 20 years now they’ve been entertaining and teaching little ones with their show "Zoner and the Drip" where a young boy named Zoner learns all about water conservation from a giant water drop called Drip.

The bad news is that the show relies completely upon donations for funding, and in light of recent cutbacks it’s possible the drip might come to a complete halt.

Puppets have long been agents of education and change, and we can only hope the funding is made available for the Great Arizona Puppet Theater to be able to continue its great and important work.

If you think I’m being flippant, think back to how Sesame Street taught you to spell or count, or think of Kermit’s struggle with his identity, finally accepting his greenness as he realised it''s the colour of Spring, it''s a big ocean, or a tall tree.

More puppets please. Not less. And more funding in Arizona please.

In the meantime we can help our children learn all about water saving with a fun Duck Shower Timer. Or perhaps about energy saving with a novel water-powered calculator.

Still not convinced about the power of puppetry? Then please enjoy a quick blast from Tom Jones’ 1972 Top Ten hit, The Young New Mexican Puppeteer:

"The young New Mexican puppeteer/ He saw the people all lived in fear/ He thought that maybe they would listen to/ A puppet telling them what to do

You know he got some string and he got some wood/ He did some carving and he was good/ And folks came running so they could hear/ The young New Mexican puppeteer."